After last season’s literally explosive finale to The Following, there were serious question marks on how the show could top the unrelenting doom that pervaded through all the episodes. Last night’s preview episode of season two also had the onus of “following” the terrific (and eventually bitter) matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks, so any kind of letdown was, in hindsight, understandable.

But The Followingdidn’t disappoint, as it played with viewers’ emotions once again with the continued misery that engulfs Ryan Hardy’s (Kevin Bacon) life.

The breakout star this year will be Sam Underwood (Dexter), whose creepy work as identical twins Luke and Mark should give Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) a run for his money. Still, no matter which new villain Mr. Hardy faces, his tragic and obsessive bond with Carroll continues.

“One of the interesting things about this second season is that seemingly I have lost my obsession for Joe,” said Bacon. “I have stepped into a different place in my life and he is no longer burning inside my heart in the way that he was in season one. But, like everything on The Following, things are not always what they seem. Just like the attack on the subways involved masks, I think you kind of find out in season two that a lot of us have masks that we’re living. Truth is, (Joe Carroll) is incredibly important to me, sadly (he’s) the most important thing in my life.”

To hear Sam Underwood discuss the appeal of psychopaths, click on the media bar below: